About DICOM Importing

Starting in version 3.1.0.1, DocScanFx supports importing DICOM files from locations like CD/DVD, local hard drives, network locations, etc.  Many options are available to transform the data including:

  • Manually editing of patient, study, or series level data.
  • Match the imported patient demographics by performing an archive query by birth date, patient ID, or name.
  • Automatically try to match the imported patient demographics by querying an archive by your choice of birth date and/or last+first names, last name+first initial, or last name.
  • Replace UIDs to avoid duplicate exams.
  • Automatically add or erase DICOM tags from imported studies.
  • Selectively choose which studies and series to import.
  • After importing exams, offer to use a DocScanFx "mode" to add other documentation to the imported studies via scanning paperwork, importing files, screen capture, or electronic forms.
  • DocScanFx scans for DICOM files at the path specified in the mode or chosen by the end user and in any sub-folders at that location.  It does not depend on a DICOMDIR for files and paths.  This results in a more dependable file import at the expense of slightly slower import speed during the discover process.


The following instructions demonstrate some of the most common combinations of settings for DICOM file importing in DocScanFx in increasing complexity.


Note: Be sure to watch the Dicom Media Watch video tutorial which makes the various import modes described below readily available when a user inserts a DICOM CDm DVD, or USB stick.


The Basics

Here is a sample "mode" for the most basic of DICOM importing.  Add these lines to your DocScan.INI file and change the StoreArchive setting to match your DICOM archive name.


[Import - Simple]
ModeDescription=Use this mode to import CDs.  Just plain importing, nothing extra.
DefaultDICOMSearchMethod=Import
StoreArchive=Archive


Just 4 lines!  If you are already familiar with DocScanFx's "modes" you'll recognize the first line is the name of the mode when DocScanFx is run.  The second line is a description end users will see when they pick this mode from the drop down list.  Use this line to give any information to your end users about why they should pick this mode.  The third line turns the mode into DICOM media import mode.  Finally, the fourth line is the name of the DICOM archive that imported studies should be sent.


With these basic settings, this mode will allow end users to edit patient name and ID, but not birth date or gender.  It will also let them edit the exam name and accession number, but not any series level information.


More Power

So the basic settings above are a good start but there is so much more you can do.  Add these lines to your DocScan.INI file and update the StoreArchive setting.


[CD Import - Normal]
ModeDescription=Use this mode to import CDs.  Has preset import-from locations, generates new UIDs for all images, and allows archive searching for matching patient information by birth date and patient ID.
DefaultDICOMSearchMethod=Import
QuerySource=Archive
StoreArchive=Archive
ImportLocationChoices=C:\Import,D:\
ImportLocationDefault=D:\
GenerateNewUidsForImportedExams=True
ImportAllowPatientSearchMRN=True
ImportAllowPatientSearchDOB=True


Here are what the new settings do:

  • ImportLocationChoices - Set this to a comma separated list of import locations the end user can choose from the drop down menu.  In the example above the end user could use the drop down to pick from C:\Import or the D: drive.  Note that whatever path you choose all subfolders will be searched for DICOM files.  So don't pick the root of a location that has folders that do not need to be searched.
  • ImportLocationDefault - This is the default choice that will be shown in the drop down menu if no option has been picked yet.
  • GenerateNewUidsForImportedExams - Set this to True if you want DocScanFx to replace all the UIDs in the imported objects with new UIDs.  SOP, Study, Series, and Instance UIDs will all be replaced with new, unique values.
  • ImportAllowPatientSearchMRN and ImportAllowPatientSearchDOB - when these settings are equal to True a magnifying glass search button will be placed next to the MRN and DOB fields when editing patient level demographics (see image below).  When these buttons are clicked they will search the PACS archive for patients matching the information in their respective fields and present a list to the end user to choose from. If a queried patient is picked their demographics will replace the previous demographics.  This is a fast way to ensure that imported exams match how the patient is listed in your existing archive.
  • QuerySource - Set this value to the name of the archive from your DICOM section which will be used with the queries in the above two settings.


Advanced

Time to add in some advanced features.  Insert the mode settings below in your INI file and set the archive to your own value.


[CD Import - Advanced]
ModeDescription=Use this mode to import CDs.  Includes all the features in "CD Importing - Normal" mode and editing birth dates/gender/series details, patient match searches by MRN/name/DOB, auto search patient matching by DOB/LastName/FirstInitial, and adding/erasing additional DICOM tags.
DefaultDICOMSearchMethod=Import
QuerySource=Archive1000
StoreArchive=ArchiveImport
StudyDescriptionChoiceValues=XR Chest 1 View|XR Chest 2 Views|XR Abdomen|CT Head|US Pelvis
ImportLocationChoices=C:\Import,D:\,D:\DICOM\,D:\Images
ImportLocationDefault=D:\
ImportAllowEditSeries=True
ImportAllowEditPatientDOB=True
ImportAllowEditPatientGender=True
ImportAllowPatientSearchMRN=True
ImportAllowPatientSearchName=True
PatientNameAddSearchWildcard=True
ImportAllowPatientSearchDOB=True
GenerateNewUidsForImportedExams=True
AdditionalDicomTags=DICOM-TAGS-Import-Advanced
PostExamImportModeToRun=Scan Documents
ImportAutoSearch=DOB,LastF


  • StudyDescriptionChoiceValues - Use this to add a comma separated list of possible study descriptions that the end user could easily pick from via a drop down menu when editing the study level details.  This can be used if you frequently import certain types of exams and you want to ensure the study descriptions match what your site uses by simply picking from a list.
  • ImportAllowEditSeries - When this is set to True the end user is allowed to edit individual series descriptions and series numbers.  Do you normally need this?  No, but you might.
  • ImportAllowEditPatientDOB and ImportAllowEditPatientGender - Typically there isn't a need to change birth dates or genders when importing exams, but by setting these value to True you can. 
  • ImportAllowPatientSearchName - Want to be able to search by name also when matching patient demographics? Set this value to True and you'll get a new magnifying glass search icon near the name field to do this.
    PatientNameAddSearchWildcard - Did you enable the last option?  Set this value to True and if you only type partial names a wildcard is added by default to your searches.  Set to False or no value and the name will need to match exactly when querying.
  • PostExamImportModeToRun - You've imported your exams but now you have paper reports that needs to be scanned into each separate exam.  Use this option to streamline this process by setting it equal to the name of a mode in your INI file for performing document scanning/file import/screen capture/electronic forms.  After the import process is complete the user will be asked if they need to scan documents on these exams.  If they answer Yes, this value's mode will be run and the list of exams available to choose from will be the exams that were just imported into PACS.
  • ImportAutoSearch- this option causes DocScanFx to automatically search for matching patients in the archive as soon as the search for DICOM objects is complete.  This avoids the end user needing to click on the patient name, then click edit and perform a manual search by DOB, MRN, or name.  In addition, the options for this value allow for combined searches by birth date and portions of name.  The options for this setting are:
    • DOB - search only by birth date
    • DOB/Last - search by birth date and last name
    • DOB/LastF - search by birth date, last name and first initial
    • DOB/LastFirst - search by birth date, last name and first name
    • Last - search by only last name
    • LastF - search by last name and first initial
    • LastFirst - search by last and first name.
  • AdditionalDicomTags - Use this option to add or erase DICOM tags from the imported studies.  Set this value equal to the name of a separate section in your INI file.  In the example above it is set to "DICOM-TAGS-Import-Advanced".  Here is an example of what that section would look like:
[DICOM-TAGS-Import-Advanced]
IssuerOfPatientID=(0010,0021)|ABCD|LO|1
AccessionNumber=(0008,0050)|{{NowYear}}{{NowMonth}}{{NowDay}}{{NowHour}}{{NowMinute}}{{NowSecond}}|SH|1
OtherPatientID=(0010,1000)||LO|1
OtherPatientName=(0010,1001)||PN|1


The format is a pipe separated list with up to 4 values in it: TagName=DicomTag|ValueToSet|ValueRepresentation|Instance


Let's break down that first example line:  IssuerOfPatientID=(0010,0021)|ABCD|LO|1

IssuerOfPatientID = DICOM tag name
(0010,0021) = Dicom Tag

ABCD = DICOM value to set

LO = Value Representation

1 = Instance


Note that Value Representation and Instance are not required and will be set to OT and 1 if they are not included.


In the second example line we are using macros to force a unique accession number on the exam composed of the date and time.  Even if the end user had set an accession number manually, custom DICOM tags will override it.  


The third and fourth examples are demonstrating how to erase a DICOM tag by leaving the DICOM value component empty.


Questions?

Additional documentation is available in the DocScanFx\Resources folder, or contact support with any questions you may have.